Sharon Harwood RPIA is a qualified and practicing regional and social planner, and currently lectures in Planning at James Cook University in Cairns, North Queensland (Australia). Sharon is a Registered Planner with the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) and has more than 25 years’ experience working with remotely located communities on natural resource planning, community planning and development projects. Sharon is the Convenor of the Tropical North Queensland branch of the PIA, a member of the state PIA Executive Committee and the Planning Education Committee. Sharon's planning experience in remote areas coupled with her research projects in remote communities has led her to believe that urban planning theory and practice is unsuitable for application in non-urban settings. Sharon is particularly interested in understanding how the design and function of land use planning systems meet the aspirations of First Nations peoples for social, economic and cultural development of their lands and waters.